2027 IDF World Darts Championship: Difference between revisions

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The '''2027 IDF World Darts Championship''' will be a professional [[darts]] tournament organised by the [[International Darts Federation]] (IDF), scheduled to take place from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 at [[Alexandra Palace]] in [[London]], England.
The '''2027 IDF World Darts Championship''' is a professional [[darts]] tournament organised by the [[International Darts Federation]] (IDF), being held from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 at [[Alexandra Palace]] in [[London]], England.


[[Logan White]] is the defending champion, having defeated [[Max Mad]] 7–6 in the [[2026 IDF World Darts Championship|2026 final]].
[[Logan White]] is the defending champion, having defeated [[Max Mad]] 7–6 in the [[2026 IDF World Darts Championship|2026 final]].


The tournament will feature 96 players, reduced from the 128-player field used in 2026. The top 32 players on the [[IDF Order of Merit]] are seeded and enter the tournament in the second round. The remaining 64 qualifiers contest the first round, with the 32 winners advancing to face the seeded players in a conventional 64-player knockout bracket from the second round onwards.
The tournament features 96 players, reduced from the 128-player field used in 2026. The top 32 players on the [[IDF Order of Merit]] are seeded and enter in the second round, while the remaining 64 players contest the first round for the right to join them in the 64-player main bracket.
 
The full draw was made following the conclusion of qualification. White will begin his title defence against either [[Charlie Sutton]] or [[Daniel Morales]], while second seed [[Alex Brow]] was drawn against the winner of [[Isaac Bennett]] and [[Hiroto Tanaka]]. 2026 runner-up Mad will face either [[Kieran Walsh]] or [[Samuel Price]].


==Background==
==Background==


===Format===
===Format===
The 2027 championship will feature 96 players, a reduction from the 128-player field used at the 2026 tournament.
The 2027 championship features 96 players, a reduction from the 128-player field used at the 2026 tournament.


The top 32 players on the IDF Order of Merit following the [[2026 IDF Players Championship Finals]] are seeded and receive a bye through the first round.
The top 32 players on the IDF Order of Merit following the [[2026 IDF Players Championship Finals]] are seeded and receive a bye through the first round.


The remaining 64 players contest 32 first-round matches. Each first-round match is tied to a predetermined position in the second-round bracket, where its winner will face one of the 32 seeds.
The remaining 64 players contest 32 first-round matches. Each first-round match is tied to a predetermined position in the second-round bracket, with the winner progressing directly to face one of the 32 seeds.


From the second round onwards, the championship therefore becomes a conventional 64-player knockout tournament.
From the second round onwards, the championship operates as a conventional 64-player knockout tournament.


All matches are played using set play. Every set is contested over the best of five legs, with the first player to win three legs winning the set.
All matches are played using set play. Every set is contested over the best of five legs, with the first player to win three legs winning the set.
Line 361: Line 359:
| Martin Vos || Final Qualifier
| Martin Vos || Final Qualifier
|}
|}
==Tournament summary==
===First round===
The championship began on the afternoon of 12 December with the first eight matches of the 64-player first round. [[Charlie Sutton]] and United States qualifier [[Daniel Morales]] opened the tournament with a five-set contest for the right to face defending champion White. Morales won the opening set 3–1 before Sutton levelled by taking the second 3–2, surviving a set dart from Morales at double 16. Sutton then moved 2–1 ahead in sets after producing checkouts of 116 and 88 during the third, but Morales responded with his strongest spell of the match to take the fourth set 3–0 and force a deciding fifth. Morales led 2–1 in the final set and was one leg from victory, but Sutton held in 14 darts before producing a 13-dart break in the deciding leg to complete a 3–2 victory. Sutton averaged 96.84 compared with Morales's 96.17 and progressed to a second-round meeting with White.
[[Mason Kelly]] then defeated ProTour qualifier [[Liam Davidson]] 3–1. Davidson took the opening set 3–2 after Kelly missed two darts to win it, but Kelly responded by winning the second set 3–1 and then produced a 12-darter during a 3–0 third set. Davidson threatened to force a deciding set after moving 2–1 ahead in the fourth, but Kelly levelled with a 13-dart leg before finishing 81 in two darts to complete the match. Kelly averaged 101.36 to Davidson's 97.62 and advanced to face 32nd seed [[Daniel McKenna]].
The third match saw ProTour qualifier [[Theo Richardson]] defeat [[Patrick Byrne]] 3–1. Byrne took the first set 3–2 after Richardson missed double 20 for a 116 finish, but Richardson responded with consecutive 3–1 sets and averaged above 104 during the middle portion of the match. Byrne won the opening two legs of the fourth set, only for Richardson to produce three consecutive legs in 14, 13 and 15 darts to complete the comeback within the set and seal the match. Richardson averaged 102.74 and hit seven maximums, while Byrne averaged 98.91. The victory earned Richardson a second-round match against 16th seed [[Ryan Thomas]].
[[Adrian Smit]], who had reached the third round of the Players Championship Finals as an unseeded player, continued his late-season form with a 3–0 victory over New Zealand qualifier [[Caleb Thompson]]. Thompson remained competitive throughout the opening set but missed a dart at double 12 in its deciding leg, allowing Smit to finish 74 for a 3–2 set. Smit then won the second 3–1 before breaking twice in a 3–0 third set. He finished the match with a 104.16 average and six maximums, the highest average of the opening four matches, while Thompson averaged 94.88. Smit progressed to face 17th seed [[Niklas Hofer]], whom he defeated at the Players Championship Finals less than three weeks earlier.
[[Cameron Reid]] defeated ProTour qualifier [[Finn Jacobs]] 3–2 in another lengthy match. Reid won the opening set 3–1 before Jacobs levelled by taking the second 3–2 with a 108 checkout. Reid restored his advantage with a 3–0 third set, but Jacobs again responded, taking the fourth 3–1 after Reid missed four match darts across the final two legs. Jacobs then opened the deciding set with consecutive 14-dart legs and moved one leg from the second round. Reid held throw to make it 2–1 and survived two match darts from Jacobs in the fourth leg before finishing 76 to level. Reid then opened the deciding leg with scores of 180 and 140, eventually completing it in 13 darts to win 3–2. He averaged 100.43 to Jacobs's 99.86 and advanced to face eighth seed [[Wyatt Walker]].
South Korean qualifier [[Min-jae Park]] produced the first international victory of the tournament by defeating [[Aaron Doyle]] 3–1. Doyle took the opening set 3–2 after Park missed three set darts, but Park responded with a 3–1 second set and then moved ahead after winning the third 3–2 with a 120 checkout. Doyle led 2–0 in the fourth set and appeared likely to force a decider, but Park won three consecutive legs, including a 13-darter and a 104 checkout, to complete the victory. Park averaged 99.72 compared with Doyle's 97.18 and became the first South Korean player to reach the second round of an IDF World Championship. He will face 25th seed [[Jamie Fletcher]].
[[Theo Walsh]] then survived a five-set encounter with final qualifier [[Thomas Gallagher]]. Walsh won the opening set 3–1 before Gallagher responded with a 3–2 second set. Walsh took the third 3–0 and had three match darts during the fourth, but Gallagher survived to win it 3–2 and force a deciding set. Gallagher moved 2–1 ahead in the fifth before Walsh levelled with a 12-darter. Gallagher then missed one match dart at double 18 in the deciding leg, allowing Walsh to finish 68 on double four for a 3–2 victory. Walsh averaged 100.81 to Gallagher's 99.94 and earned a second-round meeting with ninth seed and Grand Slam runner-up [[Jeroen van Dijk]].
The afternoon session concluded with [[Stefan Müller]] defeating ProTour qualifier [[Kyle Brennan]] 3–1. Müller made the stronger start and won the opening set 3–0 before Brennan levelled the match with a 3–2 second set containing a 121 checkout on the bullseye. Müller regained control by taking the third set 3–1 and then moved 2–0 ahead in the fourth. Brennan saved two match darts and won consecutive legs to force a deciding leg within the set, but Müller opened with a 180 and completed a 14-dart leg to seal the victory. Müller averaged 101.92 and hit six maximums, while Brennan averaged 99.63. Müller advanced to face 24th seed [[Noah Parker]].
The opening session therefore produced five victories for Order of Merit qualifiers, two for ProTour qualifiers and one for an international qualifier. Smit's 104.16 was the highest average of the session, ahead of Richardson's 102.74, while four of the eight matches required a deciding set. Sutton's victory confirmed him as White's first opponent of the defending champion's title defence.


==Draw==
==Draw==


===First round===
===First round===
The 64 unseeded players were drawn into 32 first-round matches. Each match feeds directly into a predetermined second-round tie against one of the 32 seeded players.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Match
! Match
! Player
! Player
! v
! Score
! Player
! Player
! Average
! Second-round opponent
! Second-round opponent
|-
|-
| 1
| 1
| Charlie Sutton
| Charlie Sutton
| v
| 3–2
| Daniel Morales
| Daniel Morales
| 96.84–96.17
| (1) Logan White
| (1) Logan White
|-
|-
| 2
| 2
| Mason Kelly
| Mason Kelly
| v
| 3–1
| Liam Davidson
| Liam Davidson
| 101.36–97.62
| (32) Daniel McKenna
| (32) Daniel McKenna
|-
|-
| 3
| 3
| Patrick Byrne
| Patrick Byrne
| v
| 1–3
| Theo Richardson
| Theo Richardson
| 98.91–102.74
| (16) Ryan Thomas
| (16) Ryan Thomas
|-
|-
| 4
| 4
| Adrian Smit
| Adrian Smit
| v
| 3–0
| Caleb Thompson
| Caleb Thompson
| 104.16–94.88
| (17) Niklas Hofer
| (17) Niklas Hofer
|-
|-
| 5
| 5
| Cameron Reid
| Cameron Reid
| v
| 3–2
| Finn Jacobs
| Finn Jacobs
| 100.43–99.86
| (8) Wyatt Walker
| (8) Wyatt Walker
|-
|-
| 6
| 6
| Aaron Doyle
| Aaron Doyle
| v
| 1–3
| Min-jae Park
| Min-jae Park
| 97.18–99.72
| (25) Jamie Fletcher
| (25) Jamie Fletcher
|-
|-
| 7
| 7
| Theo Walsh
| Theo Walsh
| v
| 3–2
| Thomas Gallagher
| Thomas Gallagher
| 100.81–99.94
| (9) Jeroen van Dijk
| (9) Jeroen van Dijk
|-
|-
| 8
| 8
| Stefan Müller
| Stefan Müller
| v
| 3–1
| Kyle Brennan
| Kyle Brennan
| 101.92–99.63
| (24) Noah Parker
| (24) Noah Parker
|-
|-
| 9
| 9
| Scott Brennan
| Scott Brennan
| v
|
| Liam O'Connell
| Liam O'Connell
|
| (4) Parker Reeves
| (4) Parker Reeves
|-
|-
| 10
| 10
| Harvey Nolan
| Harvey Nolan
| v
|
| Jordan Matthews
| Jordan Matthews
|
| (29) Lukas Weber
| (29) Lukas Weber
|-
|-
| 11
| 11
| Leon Price
| Leon Price
| v
|
| Petr Novák
| Petr Novák
|
| (13) Nathan Owens
| (13) Nathan Owens
|-
|-
| 12
| 12
| Mitchell Kerr
| Mitchell Kerr
| v
|
| Michael Reeves
| Michael Reeves
|
| (20) Bram De Waal
| (20) Bram De Waal
|-
|-
| 13
| 13
| Ruben Meijer
| Ruben Meijer
| v
|
| Cameron Price
| Cameron Price
|
| (5) Quinn Sanders
| (5) Quinn Sanders
|-
|-
| 14
| 14
| Owen Griffiths
| Owen Griffiths
| v
|
| Bradley Stone
| Bradley Stone
|
| (28) Lewis Moorcroft
| (28) Lewis Moorcroft
|-
|-
| 15
| 15
| Toby Richards
| Toby Richards
| v
|
| Javier Ortega
| Javier Ortega
|
| (12) Rhys Morgan
| (12) Rhys Morgan
|-
|-
| 16
| 16
| George Chambers
| George Chambers
| v
|
| Marcus Reed
| Marcus Reed
|
| (21) Ethan Mitchell
| (21) Ethan Mitchell
|-
|-
| 17
| 17
| Isaac Bennett
| Isaac Bennett
| v
|
| Hiroto Tanaka
| Hiroto Tanaka
|
| (2) Alex Brow
| (2) Alex Brow
|-
|-
| 18
| 18
| Jordan Ellis
| Jordan Ellis
| v
|
| Jamie van der Meer
| Jamie van der Meer
|
| (31) Connor Hayes
| (31) Connor Hayes
|-
|-
| 19
| 19
| Finn O'Connor
| Finn O'Connor
| v
|
| Nathan Kerr
| Nathan Kerr
|
| (15) Benjamin Carter
| (15) Benjamin Carter
|-
|-
| 20
| 20
| Reece Palmer
| Reece Palmer
| v
|
| Ruben van den Berg
| Ruben van den Berg
|
| (18) Kai Mitchell
| (18) Kai Mitchell
|-
|-
| 21
| 21
| Kevin Van Leeuwen
| Kevin Van Leeuwen
| v
|
| Stefan de Boer
| Stefan de Boer
|
| (7) Duncan MacLeod
| (7) Duncan MacLeod
|-
|-
| 22
| 22
| Luke Harrington
| Luke Harrington
| v
|
| Andrew Collins
| Andrew Collins
|
| (26) Sean Donovan
| (26) Sean Donovan
|-
|-
| 23
| 23
| Tyler Grant
| Tyler Grant
| v
|
| Oliver Grant
| Oliver Grant
|
| (10) Hunter Jackson
| (10) Hunter Jackson
|-
|-
| 24
| 24
| Marco Bellini
| Marco Bellini
| v
|
| Matthew Haines
| Matthew Haines
|
| (23) Cole Hamilton
| (23) Cole Hamilton
|-
|-
| 25
| 25
| Kieran Walsh
| Kieran Walsh
| v
|
| Samuel Price
| Samuel Price
|
| (3) Max Mad
| (3) Max Mad
|-
|-
| 26
| 26
| Simon Ward
| Simon Ward
| v
|
| Dylan Ward
| Dylan Ward
|
| (30) Matteo Vermeulen
| (30) Matteo Vermeulen
|-
|-
| 27
| 27
| Marcus Cole
| Marcus Cole
| v
|
| Martin Vos
| Martin Vos
|
| (14) Harry Lewis
| (14) Harry Lewis
|-
|-
| 28
| 28
| Adam Fletcher
| Adam Fletcher
| v
|
| Aaron Campbell
| Aaron Campbell
|
| (19) Callum Pike
| (19) Callum Pike
|-
|-
| 29
| 29
| Dylan Brooks
| Dylan Brooks
| v
|
| Lars Jørgensen
| Lars Jørgensen
|
| (6) Elias Storm
| (6) Elias Storm
|-
|-
| 30
| 30
| Niels Bakker
| Niels Bakker
| v
|
| Zachary Hughes
| Zachary Hughes
|
| (27) Oliver Bartlett
| (27) Oliver Bartlett
|-
|-
| 31
| 31
| Jan Verbeek
| Jan Verbeek
| v
|
| Owen Carter
| Owen Carter
|
| (11) Jack Mercer
| (11) Jack Mercer
|-
|-
| 32
| 32
| Tomás Varga
| Tomás Varga
| v
|
| Connor Price
| Connor Price
|
| (22) Blake Carter
| (22) Blake Carter
|}
|}


===Second round onwards===
===Second round onwards===
The second round marks the beginning of the 64-player seeded bracket. Each seed will face the winner of the corresponding first-round match.
{{64TeamBracket
{{64TeamBracket
| RD1 = Second round<br />Best of 5 sets
| RD1 = Second round<br />Best of 5 sets
Line 584: Line 632:
| RD1-score01 =
| RD1-score01 =
| RD1-seed02 =
| RD1-seed02 =
| RD1-team02 = Winner of Sutton/Morales
| RD1-team02 = {{PDCFlag|Charlie Sutton|avg=}}
| RD1-score02 =
| RD1-score02 =


Line 591: Line 639:
| RD1-score03 =
| RD1-score03 =
| RD1-seed04 =
| RD1-seed04 =
| RD1-team04 = Winner of Kelly/Davidson
| RD1-team04 = {{PDCFlag|Mason Kelly|avg=}}
| RD1-score04 =
| RD1-score04 =


Line 598: Line 646:
| RD1-score05 =
| RD1-score05 =
| RD1-seed06 =
| RD1-seed06 =
| RD1-team06 = Winner of Byrne/Richardson
| RD1-team06 = {{PDCFlag|Theo Richardson|avg=}}
| RD1-score06 =
| RD1-score06 =


Line 605: Line 653:
| RD1-score07 =
| RD1-score07 =
| RD1-seed08 =
| RD1-seed08 =
| RD1-team08 = Winner of Smit/Thompson
| RD1-team08 = {{PDCFlag|Adrian Smit|avg=}}
| RD1-score08 =
| RD1-score08 =


Line 612: Line 660:
| RD1-score09 =
| RD1-score09 =
| RD1-seed10 =
| RD1-seed10 =
| RD1-team10 = Winner of Reid/Jacobs
| RD1-team10 = {{PDCFlag|Cameron Reid|avg=}}
| RD1-score10 =
| RD1-score10 =


Line 619: Line 667:
| RD1-score11 =
| RD1-score11 =
| RD1-seed12 =
| RD1-seed12 =
| RD1-team12 = Winner of Doyle/Park
| RD1-team12 = {{PDCFlag|Min-jae Park|avg=}}
| RD1-score12 =
| RD1-score12 =


Line 626: Line 674:
| RD1-score13 =
| RD1-score13 =
| RD1-seed14 =
| RD1-seed14 =
| RD1-team14 = Winner of Walsh/Gallagher
| RD1-team14 = {{PDCFlag|Theo Walsh|avg=}}
| RD1-score14 =
| RD1-score14 =


Line 633: Line 681:
| RD1-score15 =
| RD1-score15 =
| RD1-seed16 =
| RD1-seed16 =
| RD1-team16 = Winner of Müller/Brennan
| RD1-team16 = {{PDCFlag|Stefan Müller|avg=}}
| RD1-score16 =
| RD1-score16 =


Line 805: Line 853:
}}
}}


==Potential seeded meetings==
==First-round results==
If all 32 seeds progress through the second round, the seeded third-round pairings would be:


===12 December===
====Afternoon session====
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Section
! Player
! Potential third-round match
! Score
! Player
! Set scores
! Average
|-
|-
| 1
| Charlie Sutton
| (1) Logan White v (32) Daniel McKenna
| 3–2
| Daniel Morales
| 1–3, 3–2, 3–1, 0–3, 3–2
| 96.84–96.17
|-
|-
| 2
| Mason Kelly
| (16) Ryan Thomas v (17) Niklas Hofer
| 3–1
| Liam Davidson
| 2–3, 3–1, 3–0, 3–2
| 101.36–97.62
|-
|-
| 3
| Patrick Byrne
| (8) Wyatt Walker v (25) Jamie Fletcher
| 1–3
| Theo Richardson
| 3–2, 1–3, 1–3, 2–3
| 98.91–102.74
|-
|-
| 4
| Adrian Smit
| (9) Jeroen van Dijk v (24) Noah Parker
| 3–0
| Caleb Thompson
| 3–2, 3–1, 3–0
| 104.16–94.88
|-
|-
| 5
| Cameron Reid
| (4) Parker Reeves v (29) Lukas Weber
| 3–2
| Finn Jacobs
| 3–1, 2–3, 3–0, 2–3, 3–2
| 100.43–99.86
|-
|-
| 6
| Aaron Doyle
| (13) Nathan Owens v (20) Bram De Waal
| 1–3
| Min-jae Park
| 3–2, 1–3, 2–3, 2–3
| 97.18–99.72
|-
|-
| 7
| Theo Walsh
| (5) Quinn Sanders v (28) Lewis Moorcroft
| 3–2
| Thomas Gallagher
| 3–1, 2–3, 3–0, 2–3, 3–2
| 100.81–99.94
|-
|-
| 8
| Stefan Müller
| (12) Rhys Morgan v (21) Ethan Mitchell
| 3–1
|-
| Kyle Brennan
| 9
| 3–0, 2–3, 3–1, 3–2
| (2) Alex Brow v (31) Connor Hayes
| 101.92–99.63
|-
| 10
| (15) Benjamin Carter v (18) Kai Mitchell
|-
| 11
| (7) Duncan MacLeod v (26) Sean Donovan
|-
| 12
| (10) Hunter Jackson v (23) Cole Hamilton
|-
| 13
| (3) Max Mad v (30) Matteo Vermeulen
|-
| 14
| (14) Harry Lewis v (19) Callum Pike
|-
| 15
| (6) Elias Storm v (27) Oliver Bartlett
|-
| 16
| (11) Jack Mercer v (22) Blake Carter
|}
|}
The placement of the seeds means White and fourth seed Reeves occupy the upper quarter of the draw, with Sanders and Van Dijk also in the top half. Brow heads the third quarter alongside MacLeod and Jackson, while Mad and Storm are positioned in the final quarter. White and Brow cannot meet before the final, while Brow and Mad cannot meet before the semi-finals.


==Schedule==
==Schedule==
{| class="wikitable"
! Date
! Session
! Round
! Matches
|-
| 12 December
| Afternoon
| First round
| 8
|-
| 12 December
| Evening
| First round
| 8
|-
| 13 December
| Afternoon
| First round
| 8
|-
| 13 December
| Evening
| First round
| 8
|-
| 14 December
| Afternoon
| First round
| 8
|-
| 14 December
| Evening
| First round
| 8
|-
| 15 December
| Afternoon
| First round
| 8
|-
| 15 December
| Evening
| First round
| 8
|-
| 16 December
| Afternoon
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 16 December
| Evening
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 17 December
| Afternoon
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 17 December
| Evening
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 18 December
| Afternoon
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 18 December
| Evening
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 19 December
| Afternoon
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 19 December
| Evening
| Second round
| 4
|-
| 20 December
| Afternoon
| Third round
| 4
|-
| 20 December
| Evening
| Third round
| 4
|-
| 21 December
| Afternoon
| Third round
| 4
|-
| 21 December
| Evening
| Third round
| 4
|-
| 22 December
| Evening
| Fourth round
| 4
|-
| 23 December
| Evening
| Fourth round
| 4
|-
| 24–26 December
| —
| Christmas break
| —
|-
| 27 December
| Evening
| Quarter-finals
| 2
|-
| 28 December
| Evening
| Quarter-finals
| 2
|-
| 29–30 December
| —
| Rest days
| —
|-
| 31 December
| Evening
| Semi-finals
| 2
|-
| 1–2 January
| —
| Rest days
| —
|-
| 3 January
| Evening
| Final
| 1
|}
==Defending champion==
White enters the tournament as defending champion after defeating Mad 7–6 in the 2026 final.


As the number one seed, White receives a first-round bye and will begin his title defence against either Sutton or United States qualifier Morales.
===12 December===
====Evening session====
First round:


White retained the number-one position on the IDF Order of Merit during 2026 and won the [[2026 IDF European Championship]]. He also reached the final of the [[2026 IDF Players Championship Finals]], where he lost 7–6 to Brow.
* Scott Brennan v Liam O'Connell
* Harvey Nolan v Jordan Matthews
* Leon Price v Petr Novák
* Mitchell Kerr v Michael Reeves
* Ruben Meijer v Cameron Price
* Owen Griffiths v Bradley Stone
* Toby Richards v Javier Ortega
* George Chambers v Marcus Reed


==Notable entrants==
===13 December===
Brow enters as the second seed following consecutive victories at the [[2026 IDF Grand Slam of Darts]] and the Players Championship Finals. He will begin his campaign against either Bennett or Japanese qualifier Tanaka.
====Afternoon session====
First round:


Mad, seeded third, was runner-up to White in the 2026 World Championship final and reached the semi-finals of both the Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals. His opening opponent will be either Walsh or final qualifier Samuel Price.
* Isaac Bennett v Hiroto Tanaka
* Jordan Ellis v Jamie van der Meer
* Finn O'Connor v Nathan Kerr
* Reece Palmer v Ruben van den Berg
* Kevin Van Leeuwen v Stefan de Boer
* Luke Harrington v Andrew Collins
* Tyler Grant v Oliver Grant
* Marco Bellini v Matthew Haines


Storm is the sixth seed following his victory at the [[2026 IDF World Grand Prix]]. After suffering a wrist injury following that event, he returned later in the season and reached the Grand Slam semi-finals and Players Championship Finals quarter-finals. He will face either Brooks or Danish qualifier Jørgensen.
====Evening session====
First round:


Van Dijk, the ninth seed, enters after reaching the Grand Slam final, while Sanders is seeded fifth after reaching the semi-finals of the Players Championship Finals.
* Kieran Walsh v Samuel Price
* Simon Ward v Dylan Ward
* Marcus Cole v Martin Vos
* Adam Fletcher v Aaron Campbell
* Dylan Brooks v Lars Jørgensen
* Niels Bakker v Zachary Hughes
* Jan Verbeek v Owen Carter
* Tomás Varga v Connor Price


==Changes from 2026==
===16–19 December===
The field has been reduced from 128 to 96 players.
Second round – 32 matches.


The top 32 seeds now enter in the second round, while the other 64 players contest the opening round.
==Defending champion==
White enters the tournament as defending champion after defeating Mad 7–6 in the 2026 final.


The first and second rounds are best of five sets.
As the number one seed, White received a first-round bye. His opening opponent was confirmed during the first session when Sutton defeated Morales 3–2.


The third and fourth rounds are best of seven sets.
White enters the championship after retaining the number-one position on the IDF Order of Merit during 2026, winning the [[2026 IDF European Championship]] and reaching the final of the [[2026 IDF Players Championship Finals]], where he lost 7–6 to Brow.


The quarter-finals are best of nine sets and the semi-finals best of 11.
==Notable entrants==
Brow enters as the second seed following consecutive victories at the [[2026 IDF Grand Slam of Darts]] and Players Championship Finals. His second-round opponent will be the winner of Bennett and Japanese qualifier Tanaka.


The final has been increased to the best of 15 sets, with the champion required to win eight sets.
Mad, seeded third, was runner-up to White in the 2026 World Championship final and reached the semi-finals of both the Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals. He will face either Walsh or final qualifier Samuel Price.


Each set remains the best of five legs throughout the tournament.
Storm is the sixth seed following his victory at the [[2026 IDF World Grand Prix]]. After suffering a wrist injury following that event, he returned later in the season and reached the Grand Slam semi-finals and Players Championship Finals quarter-finals.


The total prize fund has increased to £3.5 million, with £750,000 awarded to the champion.
Van Dijk, the ninth seed, will begin his campaign against Walsh after the latter defeated Gallagher in five sets during the opening session.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 15:27, 18 August 2026

2027 IDF World Darts Championship
Tournament information
Dates12 December 2026 – 3 January 2027
VenueAlexandra Palace
LocationLondon, England
Organisation(s)IDF
FormatSets
Prize fund£3,500,000
Winner's share£750,000
«2026 2028»

The 2027 IDF World Darts Championship is a professional darts tournament organised by the International Darts Federation (IDF), being held from 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace in London, England.

Logan White is the defending champion, having defeated Max Mad 7–6 in the 2026 final.

The tournament features 96 players, reduced from the 128-player field used in 2026. The top 32 players on the IDF Order of Merit are seeded and enter in the second round, while the remaining 64 players contest the first round for the right to join them in the 64-player main bracket.

Background

Format

The 2027 championship features 96 players, a reduction from the 128-player field used at the 2026 tournament.

The top 32 players on the IDF Order of Merit following the 2026 IDF Players Championship Finals are seeded and receive a bye through the first round.

The remaining 64 players contest 32 first-round matches. Each first-round match is tied to a predetermined position in the second-round bracket, with the winner progressing directly to face one of the 32 seeds.

From the second round onwards, the championship operates as a conventional 64-player knockout tournament.

All matches are played using set play. Every set is contested over the best of five legs, with the first player to win three legs winning the set.

There is no extended tie-break within a set. If a set reaches two legs apiece, the fifth leg decides the set.

The match lengths are:

  • First round: best of 5 sets – first to 3
  • Second round: best of 5 sets – first to 3
  • Third round: best of 7 sets – first to 4
  • Fourth round: best of 7 sets – first to 4
  • Quarter-finals: best of 9 sets – first to 5
  • Semi-finals: best of 11 sets – first to 6
  • Final: best of 15 sets – first to 8

The 2027 final has therefore been extended to a possible 15 sets, compared with the best-of-13-set final used in 2026.

The player throwing first in the opening set is determined by the pre-match bull, with the right to throw first alternating at the beginning of each subsequent set.

Player count

Entry route Players
Seeded – IDF Order of Merit top 32 32
Unseeded IDF Order of Merit qualifiers 32
IDF ProTour qualifiers 16
International qualifiers 8
World Championship final qualifiers 8
Total 96

Prize money

The total prize fund is £3,500,000, with £750,000 awarded to the champion.

Stage Prize money Players Total
Winner £750,000 1 £750,000
Runner-up £350,000 1 £350,000
Semi-finalists £200,000 2 £400,000
Quarter-finalists £100,000 4 £400,000
Fourth round £50,000 8 £400,000
Third round £25,000 16 £400,000
Second round £15,000 32 £480,000
First round £10,000 32 £320,000
Total £3,500,000

All prize money counts towards the IDF Order of Merit.

Qualification

Qualification was divided between the IDF Order of Merit, the IDF ProTour, international qualifying routes and the final World Championship qualifier.

The top 32 players on the Order of Merit qualified as seeds and enter in the second round.

The next 32 highest-ranked eligible players qualified as unseeded Order of Merit players.

A further 16 players qualified through the IDF ProTour, eight through international qualification events and eight through the final World Championship qualifier.

Seeds

Seed Player
1 Logan White
2 Alex Brow
3 Max Mad
4 Parker Reeves
5 Quinn Sanders
6 Elias Storm
7 Duncan MacLeod
8 Wyatt Walker
9 Jeroen van Dijk
10 Hunter Jackson
11 Jack Mercer
12 Rhys Morgan
13 Nathan Owens
14 Harry Lewis
15 Benjamin Carter
16 Ryan Thomas
17 Niklas Hofer
18 Kai Mitchell
19 Callum Pike
20 Bram De Waal
21 Ethan Mitchell
22 Blake Carter
23 Cole Hamilton
24 Noah Parker
25 Jamie Fletcher
26 Sean Donovan
27 Oliver Bartlett
28 Lewis Moorcroft
29 Lukas Weber
30 Matteo Vermeulen
31 Connor Hayes
32 Daniel McKenna

Qualified players

Unseeded Order of Merit qualifiers

OOM position Player
33 Mason Kelly
34 Cameron Reid
35 Adrian Smit
36 Tyler Grant
37 Scott Brennan
38 Marcus Cole
39 Owen Griffiths
40 Dylan Brooks
41 Theo Walsh
42 Mitchell Kerr
43 Leon Price
44 Reece Palmer
45 Patrick Byrne
46 Kevin Van Leeuwen
47 Stefan Müller
48 Marco Bellini
49 Finn O'Connor
50 Jan Verbeek
51 Toby Richards
52 Aaron Doyle
53 Luke Harrington
54 Niels Bakker
55 George Chambers
56 Kieran Walsh
57 Ruben Meijer
58 Isaac Bennett
59 Charlie Sutton
60 Jordan Ellis
61 Simon Ward
62 Harvey Nolan
63 Adam Fletcher
64 Tomás Varga

ProTour qualifiers

Player Qualification
Theo Richardson IDF ProTour
Cameron Price IDF ProTour
Jordan Matthews IDF ProTour
Stefan de Boer IDF ProTour
Owen Carter IDF ProTour
Kyle Brennan IDF ProTour
Matthew Haines IDF ProTour
Jamie van der Meer IDF ProTour
Liam Davidson IDF ProTour
Dylan Ward IDF ProTour
Oliver Grant IDF ProTour
Marcus Reed IDF ProTour
Finn Jacobs IDF ProTour
Aaron Campbell IDF ProTour
Connor Price IDF ProTour
Nathan Kerr IDF ProTour

International qualifiers

Player Region
Hiroto Tanaka Japan
Min-jae Park South Korea
Liam O'Connell Australia
Caleb Thompson New Zealand
Daniel Morales United States
Javier Ortega Spain
Lars Jørgensen Denmark
Petr Novák Czech Republic

Final qualifiers

Player Qualification
Michael Reeves Final Qualifier
Bradley Stone Final Qualifier
Zachary Hughes Final Qualifier
Ruben van den Berg Final Qualifier
Samuel Price Final Qualifier
Thomas Gallagher Final Qualifier
Andrew Collins Final Qualifier
Martin Vos Final Qualifier

Tournament summary

First round

The championship began on the afternoon of 12 December with the first eight matches of the 64-player first round. Charlie Sutton and United States qualifier Daniel Morales opened the tournament with a five-set contest for the right to face defending champion White. Morales won the opening set 3–1 before Sutton levelled by taking the second 3–2, surviving a set dart from Morales at double 16. Sutton then moved 2–1 ahead in sets after producing checkouts of 116 and 88 during the third, but Morales responded with his strongest spell of the match to take the fourth set 3–0 and force a deciding fifth. Morales led 2–1 in the final set and was one leg from victory, but Sutton held in 14 darts before producing a 13-dart break in the deciding leg to complete a 3–2 victory. Sutton averaged 96.84 compared with Morales's 96.17 and progressed to a second-round meeting with White.

Mason Kelly then defeated ProTour qualifier Liam Davidson 3–1. Davidson took the opening set 3–2 after Kelly missed two darts to win it, but Kelly responded by winning the second set 3–1 and then produced a 12-darter during a 3–0 third set. Davidson threatened to force a deciding set after moving 2–1 ahead in the fourth, but Kelly levelled with a 13-dart leg before finishing 81 in two darts to complete the match. Kelly averaged 101.36 to Davidson's 97.62 and advanced to face 32nd seed Daniel McKenna.

The third match saw ProTour qualifier Theo Richardson defeat Patrick Byrne 3–1. Byrne took the first set 3–2 after Richardson missed double 20 for a 116 finish, but Richardson responded with consecutive 3–1 sets and averaged above 104 during the middle portion of the match. Byrne won the opening two legs of the fourth set, only for Richardson to produce three consecutive legs in 14, 13 and 15 darts to complete the comeback within the set and seal the match. Richardson averaged 102.74 and hit seven maximums, while Byrne averaged 98.91. The victory earned Richardson a second-round match against 16th seed Ryan Thomas.

Adrian Smit, who had reached the third round of the Players Championship Finals as an unseeded player, continued his late-season form with a 3–0 victory over New Zealand qualifier Caleb Thompson. Thompson remained competitive throughout the opening set but missed a dart at double 12 in its deciding leg, allowing Smit to finish 74 for a 3–2 set. Smit then won the second 3–1 before breaking twice in a 3–0 third set. He finished the match with a 104.16 average and six maximums, the highest average of the opening four matches, while Thompson averaged 94.88. Smit progressed to face 17th seed Niklas Hofer, whom he defeated at the Players Championship Finals less than three weeks earlier.

Cameron Reid defeated ProTour qualifier Finn Jacobs 3–2 in another lengthy match. Reid won the opening set 3–1 before Jacobs levelled by taking the second 3–2 with a 108 checkout. Reid restored his advantage with a 3–0 third set, but Jacobs again responded, taking the fourth 3–1 after Reid missed four match darts across the final two legs. Jacobs then opened the deciding set with consecutive 14-dart legs and moved one leg from the second round. Reid held throw to make it 2–1 and survived two match darts from Jacobs in the fourth leg before finishing 76 to level. Reid then opened the deciding leg with scores of 180 and 140, eventually completing it in 13 darts to win 3–2. He averaged 100.43 to Jacobs's 99.86 and advanced to face eighth seed Wyatt Walker.

South Korean qualifier Min-jae Park produced the first international victory of the tournament by defeating Aaron Doyle 3–1. Doyle took the opening set 3–2 after Park missed three set darts, but Park responded with a 3–1 second set and then moved ahead after winning the third 3–2 with a 120 checkout. Doyle led 2–0 in the fourth set and appeared likely to force a decider, but Park won three consecutive legs, including a 13-darter and a 104 checkout, to complete the victory. Park averaged 99.72 compared with Doyle's 97.18 and became the first South Korean player to reach the second round of an IDF World Championship. He will face 25th seed Jamie Fletcher.

Theo Walsh then survived a five-set encounter with final qualifier Thomas Gallagher. Walsh won the opening set 3–1 before Gallagher responded with a 3–2 second set. Walsh took the third 3–0 and had three match darts during the fourth, but Gallagher survived to win it 3–2 and force a deciding set. Gallagher moved 2–1 ahead in the fifth before Walsh levelled with a 12-darter. Gallagher then missed one match dart at double 18 in the deciding leg, allowing Walsh to finish 68 on double four for a 3–2 victory. Walsh averaged 100.81 to Gallagher's 99.94 and earned a second-round meeting with ninth seed and Grand Slam runner-up Jeroen van Dijk.

The afternoon session concluded with Stefan Müller defeating ProTour qualifier Kyle Brennan 3–1. Müller made the stronger start and won the opening set 3–0 before Brennan levelled the match with a 3–2 second set containing a 121 checkout on the bullseye. Müller regained control by taking the third set 3–1 and then moved 2–0 ahead in the fourth. Brennan saved two match darts and won consecutive legs to force a deciding leg within the set, but Müller opened with a 180 and completed a 14-dart leg to seal the victory. Müller averaged 101.92 and hit six maximums, while Brennan averaged 99.63. Müller advanced to face 24th seed Noah Parker.

The opening session therefore produced five victories for Order of Merit qualifiers, two for ProTour qualifiers and one for an international qualifier. Smit's 104.16 was the highest average of the session, ahead of Richardson's 102.74, while four of the eight matches required a deciding set. Sutton's victory confirmed him as White's first opponent of the defending champion's title defence.

Draw

First round

Match Player Score Player Average Second-round opponent
1 Charlie Sutton 3–2 Daniel Morales 96.84–96.17 (1) Logan White
2 Mason Kelly 3–1 Liam Davidson 101.36–97.62 (32) Daniel McKenna
3 Patrick Byrne 1–3 Theo Richardson 98.91–102.74 (16) Ryan Thomas
4 Adrian Smit 3–0 Caleb Thompson 104.16–94.88 (17) Niklas Hofer
5 Cameron Reid 3–2 Finn Jacobs 100.43–99.86 (8) Wyatt Walker
6 Aaron Doyle 1–3 Min-jae Park 97.18–99.72 (25) Jamie Fletcher
7 Theo Walsh 3–2 Thomas Gallagher 100.81–99.94 (9) Jeroen van Dijk
8 Stefan Müller 3–1 Kyle Brennan 101.92–99.63 (24) Noah Parker
9 Scott Brennan Liam O'Connell (4) Parker Reeves
10 Harvey Nolan Jordan Matthews (29) Lukas Weber
11 Leon Price Petr Novák (13) Nathan Owens
12 Mitchell Kerr Michael Reeves (20) Bram De Waal
13 Ruben Meijer Cameron Price (5) Quinn Sanders
14 Owen Griffiths Bradley Stone (28) Lewis Moorcroft
15 Toby Richards Javier Ortega (12) Rhys Morgan
16 George Chambers Marcus Reed (21) Ethan Mitchell
17 Isaac Bennett Hiroto Tanaka (2) Alex Brow
18 Jordan Ellis Jamie van der Meer (31) Connor Hayes
19 Finn O'Connor Nathan Kerr (15) Benjamin Carter
20 Reece Palmer Ruben van den Berg (18) Kai Mitchell
21 Kevin Van Leeuwen Stefan de Boer (7) Duncan MacLeod
22 Luke Harrington Andrew Collins (26) Sean Donovan
23 Tyler Grant Oliver Grant (10) Hunter Jackson
24 Marco Bellini Matthew Haines (23) Cole Hamilton
25 Kieran Walsh Samuel Price (3) Max Mad
26 Simon Ward Dylan Ward (30) Matteo Vermeulen
27 Marcus Cole Martin Vos (14) Harry Lewis
28 Adam Fletcher Aaron Campbell (19) Callum Pike
29 Dylan Brooks Lars Jørgensen (6) Elias Storm
30 Niels Bakker Zachary Hughes (27) Oliver Bartlett
31 Jan Verbeek Owen Carter (11) Jack Mercer
32 Tomás Varga Connor Price (22) Blake Carter

Second round onwards

Second round
Best of 5 sets 		Third round
Best of 7 sets 		Fourth round
Best of 7 sets 		Quarter-finals
Best of 9 sets 		Semi-finals
Best of 11 sets 		Final
Best of 15 sets
                  
1 Logan White
Charlie Sutton
 
 
32 Daniel McKenna
Mason Kelly
 
 
16 Ryan Thomas
Theo Richardson
 
 
17 Niklas Hofer
Adrian Smit
 
 
8 Wyatt Walker
Cameron Reid
 
 
25 Jamie Fletcher
Min-jae Park
 
 
9 Jeroen van Dijk
Theo Walsh
 
 
24 Noah Parker
Stefan Müller
 
 
4 Parker Reeves
Winner of Brennan/O'Connell
 
 
29 Lukas Weber
Winner of Nolan/Matthews
 
 
13 Nathan Owens
Winner of Price/Novák
 
 
20 Bram De Waal
Winner of Kerr/Reeves
 
 
5 Quinn Sanders
Winner of Meijer/Price
 
 
28 Lewis Moorcroft
Winner of Griffiths/Stone
 
 
12 Rhys Morgan
Winner of Richards/Ortega
 
 
21 Ethan Mitchell
Winner of Chambers/Reed
 
 
2 Alex Brow
Winner of Bennett/Tanaka
 
 
31 Connor Hayes
Winner of Ellis/Van der Meer
 
 
15 Benjamin Carter
Winner of O'Connor/Kerr
 
 
18 Kai Mitchell
Winner of Palmer/Van den Berg
 
 
7 Duncan MacLeod
Winner of Van Leeuwen/De Boer
 
 
26 Sean Donovan
Winner of Harrington/Collins
 
 
10 Hunter Jackson
Winner of Grant/Grant
 
 
23 Cole Hamilton
Winner of Bellini/Haines
 
 
3 Max Mad
Winner of Walsh/Price
 
 
30 Matteo Vermeulen
Winner of Ward/Ward
 
 
14 Harry Lewis
Winner of Cole/Vos
 
 
19 Callum Pike
Winner of Fletcher/Campbell
 
 
6 Elias Storm
Winner of Brooks/Jørgensen
 
 
27 Oliver Bartlett
Winner of Bakker/Hughes
 
 
11 Jack Mercer
Winner of Verbeek/Carter
 
 
22 Blake Carter
Winner of Varga/Price

First-round results

12 December

Afternoon session

Player Score Player Set scores Average
Charlie Sutton 3–2 Daniel Morales 1–3, 3–2, 3–1, 0–3, 3–2 96.84–96.17
Mason Kelly 3–1 Liam Davidson 2–3, 3–1, 3–0, 3–2 101.36–97.62
Patrick Byrne 1–3 Theo Richardson 3–2, 1–3, 1–3, 2–3 98.91–102.74
Adrian Smit 3–0 Caleb Thompson 3–2, 3–1, 3–0 104.16–94.88
Cameron Reid 3–2 Finn Jacobs 3–1, 2–3, 3–0, 2–3, 3–2 100.43–99.86
Aaron Doyle 1–3 Min-jae Park 3–2, 1–3, 2–3, 2–3 97.18–99.72
Theo Walsh 3–2 Thomas Gallagher 3–1, 2–3, 3–0, 2–3, 3–2 100.81–99.94
Stefan Müller 3–1 Kyle Brennan 3–0, 2–3, 3–1, 3–2 101.92–99.63

Schedule

12 December

Evening session

First round:

  • Scott Brennan v Liam O'Connell
  • Harvey Nolan v Jordan Matthews
  • Leon Price v Petr Novák
  • Mitchell Kerr v Michael Reeves
  • Ruben Meijer v Cameron Price
  • Owen Griffiths v Bradley Stone
  • Toby Richards v Javier Ortega
  • George Chambers v Marcus Reed

13 December

Afternoon session

First round:

  • Isaac Bennett v Hiroto Tanaka
  • Jordan Ellis v Jamie van der Meer
  • Finn O'Connor v Nathan Kerr
  • Reece Palmer v Ruben van den Berg
  • Kevin Van Leeuwen v Stefan de Boer
  • Luke Harrington v Andrew Collins
  • Tyler Grant v Oliver Grant
  • Marco Bellini v Matthew Haines

Evening session

First round:

  • Kieran Walsh v Samuel Price
  • Simon Ward v Dylan Ward
  • Marcus Cole v Martin Vos
  • Adam Fletcher v Aaron Campbell
  • Dylan Brooks v Lars Jørgensen
  • Niels Bakker v Zachary Hughes
  • Jan Verbeek v Owen Carter
  • Tomás Varga v Connor Price

16–19 December

Second round – 32 matches.

Defending champion

White enters the tournament as defending champion after defeating Mad 7–6 in the 2026 final.

As the number one seed, White received a first-round bye. His opening opponent was confirmed during the first session when Sutton defeated Morales 3–2.

White enters the championship after retaining the number-one position on the IDF Order of Merit during 2026, winning the 2026 IDF European Championship and reaching the final of the 2026 IDF Players Championship Finals, where he lost 7–6 to Brow.

Notable entrants

Brow enters as the second seed following consecutive victories at the 2026 IDF Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals. His second-round opponent will be the winner of Bennett and Japanese qualifier Tanaka.

Mad, seeded third, was runner-up to White in the 2026 World Championship final and reached the semi-finals of both the Grand Slam and Players Championship Finals. He will face either Walsh or final qualifier Samuel Price.

Storm is the sixth seed following his victory at the 2026 IDF World Grand Prix. After suffering a wrist injury following that event, he returned later in the season and reached the Grand Slam semi-finals and Players Championship Finals quarter-finals.

Van Dijk, the ninth seed, will begin his campaign against Walsh after the latter defeated Gallagher in five sets during the opening session.

References

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